Messy Play

[Unregistered]

How do you motivate yourself to take out the messy play stuff.

Paint,play dough, the toy with the fifty million pieces.......

I am usually all over these things, but some days I just don't want to clean up the messes yet again! How do you motivate yourself on these days?

Member that has logged out for privacy

[saved4always]

It was really hard for me to be motivated with the messy stuff when I did childcare in my home. We did playdoh but I really disliked paint and other messy stuff like that so I rarely took it out. Most of my kids were too young for it anyways so it was not a biggie not to do some of it. Now that I am working in a center, I have no problem bringing on the mess. Honestly, I am much better at some parts of this job when it is not in my own home.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

I love messy play. I always remember at the end of the day, it all cleans up. I think that having my living area seperate from the childcare also helps
I just love watching their faces when they are painting or creating. I do try to "contain" the mess and I use lots of wash clothes. Generally all it takes to clean up (besides the kids) is to wipe the table, sweep the floor, and mop if necessary.
It makes the kidlets soooo happy. That is what motivates me. (and all the parents that tell me they would NEVER let their kids do this at home- I find that sad!)

[melskids]

I love messy play. I always remember at the end of the day, it all cleans up. I think that having my living area seperate from the childcare also helps
I just love watching their faces when they are painting or creating. I do try to "contain" the mess and I use lots of wash clothes. Generally all it takes to clean up (besides the kids) is to wipe the table, sweep the floor, and mop if necessary.
It makes the kidlets soooo happy. That is what motivates me. (and all the parents that tell me they would NEVER let their kids do this at home- I find that sad!)

THAT is what motivates me. most of my parents say the same thing. I want them to experience it ALL...so we do it here....from body painting to sliding down a paint covered slide, to shaving cream filled kiddie pools.....

[nanglgrl]

I want to slide down a paint covered slide! I will add that to my bucket list. ::
My daycare is separate from my living area, there is no carpet and everything is easily washable. That's the only way I could do it!

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

THAT is what motivates me. most of my parents say the same thing. I want them to experience it ALL...so we do it here....from body painting to sliding down a paint covered slide, to shaving cream filled kiddie pools.....

I want to do shaving cream but I am worried about allergies.. any issues?

[melskids]

I want to do shaving cream but I am worried about allergies.. any issues?

Not with my kiddos. I do buy the sensitive kind though, so I don't really know if that makes a difference.

Here's one of them INSIDE.

[melskids]

Here's another one. It was supposed to be foot painting for the Foot Book during Dr. Suess week, but this little one had other plans.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

adorable pics!!

Another tip for messy play. Buy clearance plastic tablecloths at the end of seasons. Try to buy fairly strudy ones Use them under sensory bins to cover the floor (or under easels etc) Easier clean up

[HappyHearts]

Oh my, Melskids, those are wonderful and fun pictures!

We do many messy activities, but nothing like that!! LOL! I try and schedule certain days that I plan ahead for painting, shaving cream, play-doh and anything that may require more clean up then normal. Just planning ahead makes it easier for me, and keeps me motivated.

[daycare]

i look at it like this. if you can mess it up you can clean it up...

If I take something out, I take it out and it stays out all day. I cover the floors with plastic table cloth covers and every so often make the kids clean as they go.

my motivation is knowing that it will keep them content and occupied for a nice length of time resulting in a smooth and less stressful day.

[Heidi]

I try to do the messier stuff outside, although in the winter, that doesn't work.
Plastic table cloths and seats with buckles for the younger ones helps a little for painting. I want THEM to experience it, but my furniture doesn't need to. I don't have a seperate area, alas.

For little pieces, try an old sheet on the floor, bucket O Lego's (or whatever) in the middle. Keep the pieces on the sheet, please, kiddos. When they're done, pick up the 3 corners and use corner number 4 to slide them all back in the container.

[Country Kids]

I had a preschooler enroll one time that was so excited to come here! Went wild when they saw the markers, crayones, paper punches, scissors, paper, etc.

I asked the parents why the child was so excited and the reply "His current daycare provider doesn't allow anything like this." They signed up on the spot and now he's going into 6th grade and I still get hugs when he see's me!

[SilverSabre25]

I am slowly getting better at allowing the messy stuff. A lot of it comes with the maturity of my group...the rest from trying to make my stupidly laid out house work for daycare.

[spud912]

The super messy stuff happens outside where I can hose things (and kids haha) off. I definitely commend you, melskids, for doing that stuff inside. I do a lot of the sensory bin stuff inside, and its funny because it takes awhile to clean up. I just found a green rice kernel on the floor the other day and we haven't played with green rice in about 2 months. I sweep the floors daily and mop weekly in the playroom, so I have no idea how it hung out that long. I'm still sweeping up sand from a sand sensory bin a month ago!